As it’s another beautiful sunny day in Britain today, I thought I’d write a quick post on my SPF essentials. Personally, I’m more for self tanning than sun tanning because I hate the thought of purposely damaging my skin when I could get a perfectly good tan from a bottle.
Having said that, I do enjoy lounging in the garden and making the most of the nice weather because for all we know, we could have torrential rain next week even though it’s June!
So, here are my must-haves for sitting in the garden or hitting the beach.
Body sunscreen, SPF 30.
When I was a teen, I used to shun any sunscreens higher than SPF 15 (so bad!) because I thought that they would stop me from getting a tan. But they don’t – they simply stop your skin from burning as quickly. It might take longer to get a bit of colour than if I used SPF 10, for example, but when I do get a glow, it lasts so much longer and doesn’t peel – result! My favourite sunscreen brands are Garnier Ambre Solaire, Soltan by Boots and Nivea because the formulas are all really moisturising.
Facial sunscreen, SPF 50
I’m not fussed on getting a natural tan on my face because I wear make-up to give me colour anyway. Not to mention that I want to keep my skin looking youthful and as wrinkle-free as possible! I’m using Soltan Moisturising Sun Cream for Face SPF 50 at the moment . I like it because absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft and supple.
Lip sunscreen
The skin on your lips are so thin and delicate – I’m always paranoid about burning them because I can imagine it to be really painful. I quite like Nivea Sun Protect Lip Balm, SPF 30 as it’s non-greasy and protects against UVA and UVB rays.
Hair sunscreen
I never understand why some women don’t bother with hair sunscreen – your poor locks can dry out and get just as damaged as your skin in the sun! That’s where Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil comes in. A few spritzes of this lightweight, tropical-scented mist and it shields hair and scalp from sun damage and detangles at the same time.
After sun lotion
UV rays means skin needs to be nourished after being in the sun. Ambre Solaire After Sun Soother Hydrating Milk effectively hydrates and cools skin to maintain it’s natural moisture levels after being exposed to the sun. Regular moisturiser would help but it just wouldn’t be as soothing as after sun lotion. I keep mine in the fridge for an extra-refreshing treat!
Big sunglasses, a loose cover-up and a hat are also essentials – sometimes I sweep my hair in a high ponytail, drench in conditioner and wrap it up in a bun and cover with a cute hat so it doesn’t dry out and become straw-like. I’m obsessed with keeping my hair hydrated as it’s so long!